AIM: Through clinical randomized controlled trials, to explore the effects of motor relearning therapy on movement function and activities of daily living ability in patients with stroke, and compared with neurodevelopmental therapy. METHODS: Sixty-one inpatients with acute stroke aged less than 70 with less than 1 month course from the Center of Rehabilitation of Taihe Hospital of Shiyan City were selected from February 2003 to August 2004 and divided by draw method into motor relearning group with 31 cases and neurodevelopmental therapy group with 30 cases. The patients in motor relearning group accepted the rehabilitation treatment procedure mainly motor relearning therapy, including upper limb function training, actinal surface function training, sit and up training from lying on the back to bedside, sitting position balance training, standing up and sitting down training, stance balance training and walking training; Patients in neurodevelopmental therapy group accepted the rehabilitation treatment mainly neurodevelopmental therapy, Bobath therapy as the main subject included 3 different stages: retardation stage, spasm stage and relative recovery stage to treat; The patients in the two groups were treated with acupuncture and moxibustion therapy and absent-nerve therapy at the same time. When all the patients discharge and hospitalization were treated with stroke lesion evaluation scale to evaluate the motor function, improved Barthel Index (totally 10 terms, with different points 0 to 15 points in every term, full make 100 points, less than 60 points for could not self-care) to assess the ability of daily life, meanwhile the length of stay was recorded. RESULTS: According to intention-to-treat analysis, 61 cases were all involved in the result analysis. (1) The length of stay: It was shorter in motor relearning group than that in neurodevelopmental therapy group averagely (25.29 +/- 13.63, 45.27 +/- 25.62 days, t = 3.7843, p < 0.05). (2) The score of stroke lesion evaluation scale: It significantly increased in the two groups at discharge than at discharge (p < 0.01), but the change rate (difference value/length of stay) in motor relearning group before and after treatment was significantly higher than that in neurodevelopmental therapy group (0.85 +/- 0.60, 0.46 +/- 0.27, p < 0.01). (3) The score of Barthel Index: It significantly increased in the two groups at discharge than that at hospitalization (p < 0.01), but the score change rate in motor relearning group before and after treatment was significantly higher than that in neurodevelopmental therapy group (1.69 +/- 1.00, 0.66 +/- 10.25, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The motor relearning therapy can significantly accelerate the recovery of motor function and activities of daily living ability in the patients with stoke, compared with neurodevelopmental therapy, it enhances the efficiency of rehabilitation.

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